Metal step.



P. KASS.

METAL STEP.

APPLICATION mm) man. 30. m4.

1,256,9fi5. Patenm Feb. 19, 1918.

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METAL STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Applicationfiled March 30, 1914. Serial No. 828,309.

1 0 e66 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER KAss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Steps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descripion.

The invention relates to metal steps for railway cars and the like and seeks to prov1de a simple and inexpensive step which can be formed of pressed sheet metal. The lnvention .consists in the'features of improvement hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the preferred form 'in the accompanying drawlng and more particularly pointed out in the appended clalm. 4

Figure 1 is a Vertical section of the improved step structure for railway cars. Fig. 2 is a detailed plan view on an enlarged scale of the end of one of the steps. Figs.

3 and 4 are detail sectionsof the sheetmetal step illustrating the manner of forming the safety tread.

The improved step is-formed of pressed sheet steel and comprises a tread a having an integral, downturned, strengthening flange b at its rear edge and an integral, pro ecting, rounded nosing 0 at its front edge. Each of the steps of a series, except the lowermost, is also provided with an integral fender (Z which depends from the nosing c and which is provided at its lower edge with an inturned strengthening flange e. The tread of the step is also provided with rows of staggered, perforated bosses f, the front row of bosses being located closely adjacent the rounded nosing a.

The step structure is extremely strong and rigid and need be supported at its ends only. As shown in the drawing, each step is preferably bolted to angle barsthat are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the usual side supports 9 of the car Step structure. As shown, horizontal and vertical angle bars 7:, and k are riveted to the face of the side support g and the treads and fenders of the steps are preferably removably bolted at their ends to the projecting flanges of these angle bars. The lower edge of the fender d of each step terminates short such points.

It should be noted that each step is complete inlitself. The depending flange b, nosing 0. and fender d which are integral with the embossed tread, form a structure of great strength and rigidity and which can be readily placed in position or removed for repairs and the like. Furthermore, it provides a complete step of low cost.

In forming the tread. staggered rows of holes f are first formed in the metal body of the tread, as indicated in Fig. 3, then by means of suitable dies, the portions of the sheet metal about the holes are pressed upwardly to form conical and slightly rounded bosses the shape of which is most clearly indicated in Fig. 4. By thus forcing the body of the metal around the openings f upwardly, the upper edges of such openings form horizontally disposed, circular, beveled or sharpened edges at the upper ends of the bosses, which will press into and securely engage the shoes of the users of the step. That is to say, when the shoe of the user is pressed into contact. with several of the knobs or bosses. the leather body of the shoe sole is pressed downwardly to and within the circular beveled or sharpened edges of the knobs thereby securely gripping but not damaging the sole of the shoe. Moreover, in this way, the tread surface of the step affords a very secure foothold and this gripping action is aided by the slight resiliency of the conical bosses. Furthermore, since moisture cannot collect and freeze on these beveled edges, the tread afi'ords an eflective foothold even in icy weather Again, the arrangement of the bosses'serves to strengthen the tread.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined in the claim.

I claim as my invention A combined safety tread, nosing. and fender for car steps and the like, formed of pressed sheet metal and comprising an edge, said nosing projecting outwardly beer'nbossed tread portion having a doWnyond said fender, substantially as described. turned integral strengthening flange at its rear edge, an integral, rounded nosing at PETER KASS' its front edge, and an integral fender de- Witnesses:

pending from said nosing and having an GEO. F. FISHER, inturned strengthening flange at its lower J. G. ANDERSON. 

